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A body at rest stays at rest until acted on by an outside force. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it. You can probably think of a few other clichés that get at the point that without some good reason things don’t change. So what has this got to do with e-learning and Sales training? Let’s begin by defining some terms. A quick Wikipedia search on e-learning returns this definition: Electronic learning (or e-learning) is a type of technology-supported education/learning where the medium of instruction is through computer technology, particularly involving digital technologies. In some instances, no face-to-face interaction takes place.
Here’s my definition of Sales Training: specialized instruction and practice for sales professionals to become proficient in communicating with potential and existing customers to create interest, understand customer needs, effectively ask and answer questions, overcome obstacles, earn confidence and trust, present solutions, and win business.
Now back to the topic of change. It seems that many sales executives have held firm on their requirement for in-person, classroom-based sales training. In fact, one sales executive recently told me that he will start training his sales people over the Web when his customers start buying over the Web (they sell complex, very big-ticket services to executives of large companies).
This from CNN Money: In the harsh bear market, just 24 Fortune 500 stocks offered positive returns to shareholders last year. How is this for an outside force? This is just the kind of change that causes sales executives like the one mentioned above to reconsider e-learning for sales training. I have talked with several other leading sales training firms and we are all seeing a significant increase in requests for e-learning.
The following are four key questions answered about e-learning and Sales Training.
Q: When you say e-learning, what do you mean and how is it used?
A: e-learning is any technology-assisted delivery method. This includes self-paced audio and video, webinars, interactive simulations, live video classrooms, and any combination of these delivery methods. Most sales organizations use pre-recorded audio and video and webinars. The typical application is for product/solution training.
Q: What is different now that could influence e-learning demand?
A: A few things are different. First is the economy. The current market has attacked corporate earnings and decision makers are definitely warming up to the idea that sales training can be delivered over the web. In addition and for the first time in my career, I have clients demanding e-learning to address sales skills and not open to discussions regarding in-person approaches. The second thing that is different is technology. If you haven’t looked at e-learning technology lately prepare for a shock, at least as it relates to video. Have you ever seen the grainy, out-of-synch with audio, in and out Web video meetings and presentations? This is quickly becoming a thing of the past. Now through companies like Cisco, Adobe, iLinc, and Illustra, high-quality multi-participant video classrooms are a reality. The third difference is the sales people themselves. The sales profession is being infiltrated (in a friendly way) by Gen Y technology-savvy professionals who are prone to ask why anyone would travel to some faraway place and sit in a classroom for three or four days when the same thing (only better) can be accomplished online from the comfort of my own office? This is a significant change in attitude.
Q: What are some of the challenges with delivering sales training via e-learning?
A: As I see it, here are a few of the more significant challenges:
Challenge—thinking that the design for the classroom program will work for the e-learning program. Scrap the old design and start from scratch. Take advantage of what you don’t have in the classroom like electronic workspace for participants, polling and group white boards.
Challenge—expecting that a great classroom trainer/facilitator will be a great e-learning trainer/facilitator. Delivering in front of a camera or just with live audio is a different job than standing in front of 25 participants. Many great traditional facilitators crumble when the lights and cameras come on. In addition, the technology component can be a significant learning curve for many.
Challenge—holding to the “less than” paradigm. You’re making a mistake if you expect web-based training to be worse than live, in-person classroom training. The best place to start is by imagining that it can be a better, more effective learning experience.
Q: What demand might we expect to see for e-learning?
A: I expect a significant spike in demand for e-learning. In the long run I wouldn’t be surprised if e-learning becomes the standard delivery approach. Yes—I am very bullish on e-learning for sales skills. I expect to see strong demand outside of the US and ahead of the US. The key thing to watch is video. Pre-recorded audio and video, live webinars and simulations can be boring and tend to have a high abandon rate. We are not far from high-impact, engaging web-based skills training.
So there you have it—one man’s point of view on e-learning and Sales Training. It seems like the right elements are aligning to create a launch point for e-learning into prime time. There are some challenges and those of us clinging to how we have done it in the past could likely miss out on a great opportunity.
I would like to know your thoughts.
You can contact me directly at Randy.Illig@FranklinCovey.com.
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